THE STRANDED WAITANGI.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 110, 10 May 1923, Page 10

THE STRANDED WAITANGI.

CONDITIONS AT THE FORT. XOT DIFFICULT TO WORK. (By Te^egrapn.—Own Correspondent.) WAXGAXTI, this day. At a meeting of the Patca Harbour Board the following reference was made to the stranding of the coastal steamer Waitangi at the entrance to the river. The harbourmaster. Captain Tinney. reported that the Waitangi was coming in at 11.00 a.m. with light southerly wind and a moderate sea when she kept too much to the westward, and would not answer her helm. He had his flag out all the time for the captain to <'ome to windward, but the ship would not come round. She hit the end of the western wall with her port bow, doing considerable damage to herself and the top part of the wall. Lines were got out, but she could not be saved from going on the beach, where she now lies half full of water. The harbourmaster mentioned that at the time conditions were quite safe for Jioats coining in. The Waiwera had come in ten minutes before the Waitangi came up. The chairman of the Harbour Board (Mr. Christensen) said that the last boat to come to grief at the entrance was the Hawera, which went on the beach on October 25, J 912. Previous to that, when improvements at the port had not been effected, such occurrences were almost monthly happenings. The chairman said he was quite satisfied that as far as the weather conditions and the entrance to the port were concerned, the mishap to the Waitangi should not have occurred. It was said that the Waitangi was a. very difficult boat to manage. She had been laid up for over two years, and this was her second trip since being recommissioned. When going out a few days ago, she had struck the wall in the river and had slightly damaged her propeller. Mr. Christensen was appointed to represent the board if an inquiry were held.